Vision #2: To Plan a Plan

Planning mode is where the heavy lifting happens.

Doing mode is in and out, maybe moving things around to adjust, but mostly about remembering what you needed to do.

Adding mode is also in and out, add something to your inbox, make it as quick as possible.

But planning mode is where you’ll spend a solid five to ten minutes each day, another ten or twenty each week.

At least, if it works well.

If it doesn’t, it will take longer, and be frustrating.

The End Result

When you plan your day, the end result is an ordered mind.

The way you get that result, is you write out an order to your day.

Writing it out cements it in your mind. Ordering it gives each task, appointment, action, or activity a place in the day.

Without consciously realizing it, you naturally move things around (if your tool makes it easy) so that there is time to fit stuff in.

The Means to the End

To get there, you need to see all the relevant work on your plate.

You need to see your plan for the last day, so you can honestly asses what worked, what didn’t, and what still needs to be done. You need to see anything you have scheduled for the next day, and anything your past self decided your future self needed to be reminded of. You need to see anything you’ve added to your system recently but haven’t yet scheduled.

Besides seeing it all, it needs to be easy to move things around. To move tickler items to your current plan. Or unfinished work to a future tickler date. Or new inbox items to either location.

And throughout it all, it should be braindead simple to add new things, delete stuff you no longer need (or want) to do.

Finally, you’ll want to set up “cues” or reminders to help you stay on task during the day. These should be occasional, when you know you’ll need a reminder in order not to miss a time sensitive appointment. Or just to bring you back to your list once or twice, to let you revisit the order you created when planning.

This last step is really a setup for the Doing mode, so we’ll look closer at that tomorrow.

The Means to the Means

The vision for this planning mode then needs to show you multiple lists, probably in two panes. In the one pane will be the plan you are creating. In the other will be all of the lists you’ll draw from.

So, if it’s Wednesday and you’re planning tomorrow, you’ll see tomorrow’s plan in one pane, and in the other you’ll have Wednesday’s plan, Thursday’s ticklers, and your Inbox items (they got added throughout the day when you think of something). Three lists, likely three tabs, but it makes sense to move through them in that order. So when you’re done with one you can dismiss it. Once you’ve dismissed all three, you’re telling Cue that you’re done planning Thursday.

While they are up, however, all three lists are fully editable. You can add items, drag and drop them to different lists, edit the text, check them off.

And if you forgot to plan Wednesday, then you’ll see both Wednesday and Thursday’s ticklers, as well as Tuesday’s plan, to make sure you don’t forget anything.

Back to the End

An ordered mind.

It’s more than just knowing what your plan is. It’s more than just clearing out an inbox or putting tasks in a tickler file.

It’s about trusting yourself (and your system).

Trusting that you won’t forget stuff in the future. Trusting that everything is written down. Trusting that it will come back when the time is right. Trusting that you can handle a little chaos. Trusting that you’ll make progress towards your goals.

That trust makes you confident, calm, cool, and collected.

And in time, as it grows, you will also gain courage to try new things, to branch out, to take risks.

Because the foundation is in place. And from that foundation you can grow.